superbowl

While this year won’t be the same without the Patriots, Super Bowl Sunday is a long-standing American tradition! One of our favorite ways to enjoy the delicious food, great beer and of course an incredible game of football is by throwing a Super Bowl Sunday party! Here are a few tips to help you have the best party possible.

1. Prepare for a feast!
Easy finger foods are good go-to’s for super bowl parties. While there is nothing wrong with the old stand byes such as buffalo wings, dips, chips, and pizza, there are some awesome ways to mix those up and get a little creative with your appetizers. Pinterest has a TON of recipes for those of you first time chefs to make you look like hors d’oeuvre connoisseurs!

If you’re cooking for a large group of people, consider whipping out that crockpot! There are so many easy recipes that only need you to toss in the ingredients and just let simmer to perfection within a few hours. If you’re hosting but not a huge fan of cooking, especially when cooking for a large group can be super challenging, try hosting a pot lock party. Having everyone bring in a different dish will surely be more than enough food for the party.

Now if you really don’t want to cook, and neither do your friends, we get it. We’ve all been there. Superbowl Sunday is a great day to order from your favorite local joint. Our one major tip though, order early. Really early. Maybe even place a pre-order the day before. Some restaurants are so busy they can take hours to deliver. If you want food on time, we recommend you plan according!

2. Game Time!
In the spirit of healthy competition, drum up the competition among your party guests. A fan favorites is the game football squares which always results in a winner and is super easy to do. Have your guests play commercial score card before the game begins. See if they can guess how many commercials will be for beer? Cars? Feature a specific celebrity? Feature a puppy? The categories are endless and you get really creative with it! Looking for more competition? click here for more Super Bowl game day ideas.

3. Beers, Booze and Safety
(For those of us 21 or older) football and beer go together like Tom Brady and Gisele. Cold beer, delicious food, and friends & family make a perfect Super Bowl Sunday party. One party tip is to have coolers of beer around the living room. Rather than having guests have to get up and go to the fridge every time they want a refill potentially missing part of the game. Also be sure to serve plenty of water to keep everyone hydrated, and non-alcoholic drinks for minors.

As a host you have the extra responsibility to make sure people are responsible drinkers. Do not let anyone drink and drive after the game. There’s even a chance you could get in serious trouble if one of your guests gets into a DUI because you supplied the alcohol. Make sure everyone has a designated driver, or use Uber or lyft to arrange ride homes, have people take public transportation or call taxis. They’re a plenty of ways for people to get home safely. There is no excuse for anyone to drink and drive.

From your friends at MassDrive, we hope you have a fun, safe and delicious Super Bowl Sunday!

Need some entertainment to get you through these cold winter days? Look no further! Even though it’s been pretty gloomy out there are still tons of events going on in Boston and we’ve found some of the best ones. If you like music, animals, sports, or eating (that should cover everyone) you won’t be disappointed! Grab your loved ones and check out these events before cabin fever sets in!

Poe’s Kitchen Burrito Bowl III – Who doesn’t like a good burrito now and then? This is your chance to get the BEST burrito in Boston as top chefs from the area compete at the Rattlesnake Bar and Grill in the 3rd annual Burrito Bowl! Keeping in the Superbowl spirit, each chef will create an original burrito reflecting the city of their favorite NFL team. Each burrito will be served bowl-style instead of as a wrap, and will be judged by attendees as well as guest “referees”. Chefs in the running are Tremont 647’s Andy Husbands; Poe’s Kitchen At The Rattlesnake’s Shawn Russell; Estelle’s Southern Cuisine’s Eric Gburski; The Tip Tap Room’s Brian Poe; Taranta’s Jose Duarte; Church’s Josh Rush; Boloco’s Jason Hutchinson; and the reigning Burrito Bowl champ, Brian Roche of Lolita. The event is this Saturday, February 2nd and tickets are $20.

Boston Harbor Seal Watch – Yes you read that right, a seal, not whale watch in Boston Harbor! The next seal watch is Saturday, February 2nd and departs from two locations; the Quincy Shipyard at 10:15 AM and from the Long Wharf in Boston at 11 AM. The tours are an hour and a half and cost $20 per ticket for adults ages 13-64, $15 for children ages 4-12 and seniors (65+), and free for children under 3. Harbor seals spend their time in Boston from late December until early March, they love the cold water! They are extremely intelligent and spend their time hunting for fish and sunbathing on the rocks and now is your chance to see them in their natural habitat! Sponsored by the Boston Harbor Alliance and Boston’s Best Cruises this harbor adventure won’t leave you disappointed.

The Beanpot Hockey Tournament – Every local knows that the first two Monday nights in February are the biggest nights in Boston hockey, the Beanpot tournament! Get your tickets while you can and watch the Harvard, Boston College, Boston University, and Northeastern hockey teams compete in this tournament where the winner will have bragging rights until the next tournament! This has been a staple event in the world of Boston sports since 1952 and encourages a little healthy competition between local colleges. The first night of games begins on Monday, February 4th at 5 PM when Boston University and Northeastern square off, followed by Boston College vs. Harvard at 8 PM. On Monday, February 11th there will be a consolation game at 4:30 PM before the championship game begins at 7:30! Do you think Boston College will remain the champs or will someone else beat them for the title?

Cry Me A River (The Valentines Hangover Dance Party) – Even though his newest single was a little weak, everyone knows Justin Timberlake is a heavy hitter in the entertainment industry. Although we can’t promise you JT himself, we can get you pretty close. The one and only Justin Timberlake cover band, The Timberfakes are performing Friday, February 15th at the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston! Whether you’re recovering from Valentine’s day or just looking for a good time, you won’t want to miss this dance party celebration. Tickets are $12 per person so get them before they sell out!

Don’t let this weather keep you from getting out of the house! Grab your friends, family, or plan a date night and head out to one of these awesome events this month!

Yes we know the Superbowl won’t be the same this year without the Patriots, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still party does it? Even though us Bay Staters may not care as much as we normally would about the game, that doesn’t mean we can’t throw a Superbowl party that our friends will be talking about for years. Where to start you ask? Well there are a few key components of a party to keep in mind and we’ve outlined the following tips that will ensure your party is a success:

Seating – You definitely want to make sure that all of your guests have a place to sit and watch the game once they arrive. Guests will most likely mingle and chat during commercials but their main focus will be the game itself so arrange the seats in a way that everyone has a clear view of the TV.

Food – Food is probably the most important staple of a Superbowl party, besides the TV and game itself. Superbowl parties are notorious for unhealthy but delicious snacks that are favorites with party-goers. Finger foods are definitely the best bet because they are easier to grab off of a plate, and guests can sample a little bit of everything without getting too full. Of course you’re going to have your classic junk food such as chips and salsa, dips, wings, cookies, and brownies, which are all fan favorites, however, don’t forget about your guests that are trying to stay healthy and pick up a veggie platter. You also want to make sure that you keep any allergies in mind, if one of your guests gets sick after eating it can change the mood of the celebration pretty quickly.

Crock Pot – This will seriously come in handy on game day if you have one. This is perfect for keeping dips or even meatballs warm throughout the entire game. If you know your guests will be snacking a certain dish, prepare it in a crock pot so that you can keep it warm for the whole party!

Drinks – Who (age 21 and up) doesn’t love an ice cold beer on Superbowl Sunday? Beer is another Superbowl staple for adults and you can bet that any hardcore football fans won’t want to miss a second of the game to refill their drink. Keep a cooler in the living room with the guests so that they can easily grab a refill without missing a play. If you’re going to serve alcohol, you should also be serving waters and non alcoholic beverages for the minors and designated drivers at the party as well.

Games – Games are a great way to bring friends together and encourage a little healthy competition. That’s why organizing some football related games to bet on is a great way to entertain guests. Football squares are very popular and if you have enough people to buy them it makes the game much more exciting.

Clean Up – It’s inevitable that there will be spills at a Superbowl Party. We would definitely suggest keeping some towels and cleaning products on hand in the living room to quickly clean spills and get at stains before they set in.

Safety – This is top priority for game day. As a host, you want to make sure that all of your guests are staying safe and partying responsibly. Make sure that each person leaving your house is either sober or has a designated driver. The last thing you want is for a friend or family member to get into a drunk driving accident on their way home because they had too much to drink at your house. Not only will you feel guilty, but you can also be sued and considered responsible for the accident since you were providing the alcohol. Stay safe and party responsibly this year! Designate a driver if you plan on drinking and hosts do not let anyone drive themselves home if they are intoxicated.

If you stick with us and follow these tips, your party will be the best on the block! Grab some food, friends, and drinks this weekend and prepare to celebrate but remember to enjoy safely!